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L I L Y
That evening, Lily Evans found herself in the reading room of the resort, her eyes frantically taking in each line of the final chapter of the novel Irene had given her. Her slender fingers firmly clutched the book as her brain soaked up the main characters' last actions, the story so close to being over. She turned the final page and read the last line, a weird feeling settling on her stomach.
There was always something bittersweet connected to finishing a novel, especially one you've been wholly engrossed in. Like waking up from a beautiful dream you'd never wanted to end, or your feet touching solid ground again after an intense ride on a rollercoaster. Lily's heartbeats slowed down to normal, the adrenaline of wanting to know how that gripping story ended now subduing. She closed the book slowly, almost tenderly, letting her eyes readjust to her surroundings.
The reading room was an interesting concept Lily hadn't often seen in hotels. Admittedly, she didn't travel a lot-her busy university life didn't provide many opportunities for her to do so-but as a person who enjoyed reading, Lily thought a reading room was an amazing idea. It made her appreciate Peter's dad's efforts in building Hogwarts even more than she already did.
The room was spacious, filled with cushy armchairs and beanbags. The minimalistic decor consisted of a creamy white wallpaper, and plants that adorned every bookshelf, just like they did most corners of the resort. There was a fireplace that Lily imagined was lit by a crackling fire on colder nights, making the atmosphere a lot cozier. The bookshelves-the same creamy white colour as the walls-contained rows upon rows of books, arranged neatly in alphabetical order. The lighting was abundant but not too bright, and Lost by Michael Bublé played softly in the background.
"Cozy down here, isn't it?"
Lily looked up to see Remus. He wore a plain grey shirt, his hair messy as always, and he had that typical benign smile on his face.
She smiled back. "Hey Remus."
He sat down on the beanbag next to hers.
"How's your reading going?"
"Well, I finally finished this book," she said. "Ira will be happy. She's been dying to rant about it. I can see why, though. The ending absolutely blew my mind."
"Oh, what happened in the end?" asked Remus as she handed him the book.
He started flipping through the pages, but she closed it with a cheeky smile before he could read anything.
"I'd spoil it if I told you now, wouldn't I? You really ought to read it. It's a great book."
He laughed and put the book down.
"Well, since you suggested it, I definitely will," he said. "Would you like me to recommend you a book now?"
